National Medicines Symposium 2024 – Session 1: Challenges of medicine safety in an ageing population

Medicine use and prescribing practices in older Australians are often complex and challenging.

This session set the scene for the appropriate use of medicines and medicine safety in an ageing population. It focused on the importance of person-centred prescribing as part of appropriate care for an ageing population. It highlighted the complexities and challenges facing the safe and quality use of medicines for an ageing population including multimorbidity, polypharmacy, prescribing high-risk medicines and the goals of care as people age. It emphasised the importance of deprescribing and the models for medicines management and review in older Australians.

Hosted by Ms Tegan Taylor, Journalist and Broadcaster with keynote speakers that included:
• The Honorable Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care
• Conjoint Professor Anne Duggan, Chief Executive Officer, ASCQHC
• Professor Libby Roughead, Director of Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre, University of South Australia
• Mr Steve Waller, Senior Advisor, Medication Without Harm, ACSQHC
• Professor Jennifer Martin, Physician, Clinical Pharmacologist and President of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Learning outcomes:
• Understand the history of quality use of medicines (QUM) in Australia
• Gain insights about the Commission’s role in addressing the challenge of reducing medication-related harm in Australia
• Understand how multimorbidity and polypharmacy could lead to serious adverse events, hospitalisations, and long-term harm
• Gain insights into the challenges of safe medication use for an ageing population

00:00 – Welcome to Country
04:46 – Introduction with NMS 2024 Facilitator
06:06 – Opening Address – The Hon. Mark Butler
09:04 – Welcome Address – Conjoint Professor Anne Duggan
12:29 – Quality Use of Medicines in Australia
28:32 – WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge: Medication without harm – Australia’s response – 2023 status report
40:40 – Clinician’s perspective on managing medicines for an ageing population
57:41 – Panel Discussion: How are the challenges of medication safety for an ageing population addressed?